Austrian newspaper: The new government of Montenegro is part of the plans of the “Serbian world”, it will have ties to Russia and China

The Austrian newspaper “Der Standard” has written about the new government in Montenegro that it is part of “big Serbian” plans with the phrase “Serbian world”. It is no coincidence that the President of the Republic Srspka Dodik said before forming the government that the Serbs should form a single state in this century.

“The new government in Montenegro wants to join the EU, but also move closer to Serbia”, headlines the Der Standard, reports DW.

The painful formation of the governing coalition in Podgorica took a long time, the newspaper describes, six months after the elections.

In the end, Milojko Spajic from the “Europe now” movement became prime minister. Der Standard describes this movement as “politically ambiguous and centrist” and “close to the regime in neighboring Serbia”.

The coalition is supported by “pro-Russian parties”, said the newspaper’s correspondent Adelhajd Velfl, adding that two Albanian parties had also given their support.

She points out that the previous regime of Milo Djukanovic “was considered corrupt”, but that under him “it was clear that Montenegro rejected the influence of the regime in Serbia and Russian influence in the Balkans”.

“Spajic has now promised to improve the already good relations with his neighbors, by which he actually meant Serbia,” writes the Der Standard.

It is no coincidence, says the journalist, that the “pro-Russian nationalist” Milorad Dodik said before the government was formed in Montenegro that the Serbs should form a single state in this century, consisting of Serbia (including Kosovo), the Republic of Srpska and Montenegro.

The author recalls that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Podgorica announced that Montenegro was independent and internationally recognized, and notes that the “Serbian world” is actually another name for “Greater Serbia”.

“The Serbian world does not mean drawing new borders at all costs – it is primarily about influence at the level of propaganda and institutions.” “The idea of the ‘Serbian world’ also serves the interests of the Kremlin, which is always striving for unrest and destabilization in the Balkans,” writes the newspaper.

Velfl estimates that “an attack by terrorists from Greater Serbia in northern Kosovo” took place in September.

“In Montenegro, the forces of Greater Serbia are trying to undermine the civil consensus,” she says.

The text ends with a reminder that the new Prime Minister Spajic wants to focus mainly on the economy. Montenegro, writes Der Standard, has opened all negotiation chapters in the negotiations with the EU, but has only closed three.

“It is certain that there are strong centrifugal forces in the new government. “As far as the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine is concerned, Montenegro is in the area of high geopolitical pressure,” the text emphasizes.

“Not everyone wants transparency, an independent judiciary and civil liberties, but the strengthening of relations with Russia and China.” People like Spajić want above all to disrupt markets and attract investors,” the text continues.